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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29279403">Long Drive Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_scarlet_01/pseuds/the_scarlet_01'>the_scarlet_01</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV), 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>126 figures out the 118 dynamics, Coda to Crossover, M/M, Post Hold the Line, Pre-Relationship, Teams being Families</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:29:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,689</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29279403</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_scarlet_01/pseuds/the_scarlet_01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The 118 Crew head home from Texas. Eddie finds out that Buck is not happy with him and it only gets worse when he tries to talk to him. It results in a very awkward trip home, but Eddie has a plan to fix it. The 126 learns a bit more about their new friends from LA and Marjan gives Eddie a word of advice.<br/>Crossover Coda</p><p>Ch1 is just Eddie, Buck and Hen (it is a shorter chapter)<br/>Ch2 has both the 118 and the 126.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Diaz &amp; Marjan Marwani, Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; TK Strand, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>405</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Tales</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Heading home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sorry if they might seem OOC, this was posted on tumblr unbeta'd and my first fic after a long writing hiatus.<br/>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eddie glances over at an unusually quiet Buck. The 20 hour trip back home after dinner with Eddie’s parents had started normal enough. Everyone was still a bit strung out after the emotional draining events in Austin. Sure, dinner had been a nice change of pace. Buck had been his enthusiastic self as he helped Eddie update the Diaz parents on how well Christopher was doing despite the pandemic craziness and about his sister. Eddie’s parents happily listened to their son’s best friend telling them all the heroics that their son got up to, despite Eddie practically begging him to stop and Hen trying not to crack up at the whole ordeal.</p><p>But now was different. Now Buck was quiet and as much as he and Hen enjoyed the silence it felt off. Buck kept alternating between glancing at his phone and glaring out the window. Eddie checked his own phone. He flipped quickly through the various apps to see if one of their friends had posted something. No messages from Chris, Carla or anyone really. He looked back to Buck.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Eddie finally asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” Buck said.</p><p>“So you’re just glaring at everything because of nothing?” Eddie questioned that logic.</p><p>“Can’t a guy be tired?” Buck retorted.</p><p>“Of course, if that was what this was,” Eddie pointed out.</p><p>“Oh so now you’re telling me when I’m tired?” Buck glared at Eddie.</p><p>Eddie sighed, “Come on, man. You know that isn’t what I meant.”</p><p>“Yeah well, I’m fine.”</p><p>“Going to be a real long trip if that’s true,” Eddie stated.</p><p>Buck grumbled something unintelligible and looked at his phone again. Eddie managed to catch a glimpse at the screen before Buck pulled it out of his sight line and glared.</p><p>Eddie shook his head. “Buck, is this because-”</p><p>“Can you, like, not,” Buck glared.</p><p>“Does it really matter that much to you if she didn’t follow you back?” Eddie asked.</p><p>“We met her in real life,” Buck said.</p><p>Eddie shrugged.</p><p>“And she followed you,” Buck grumbled.</p><p>“I mean, I did work closer with her,” Eddie pointed out.</p><p>“We all worked together,” Buck said.</p><p>“Well, I mean you were usually off-” Eddie started to say.</p><p>“ And you rarely ever post,” Buck stated.</p><p>“I mean I told her to follow you back,” Eddie told him.</p><p>“You what?” Buck stared at his friend.</p><p>“I told her to follow you back,” Eddie repeated, the cab of the truck feeling a bit too small with the way Buck was looking at him.</p><p>“What the hell man!” Buck shouted. “She probably thinks I’m a weirdo now.” When Buck didn’t get a denial from Eddie he groaned. Eddie watched as his best friend’s posture went stiff.</p><p>“Fantastic,” Buck grumbled. Buck adjusted the headset. “Hey Hen, I know you hate stopping and just wanna get home but…” He paused for a second to think if an excuse.</p><p>“This better be good Buck,” Hen said.</p><p>“My knee is acting up, I just need a minute to stretch and walk it off. 2 minutes, tops.”</p><p>The truck was quiet but for the sound of the engine for a moment.</p><p>“Fine but only because I know Bobby would kill us if you-” Hen said as they turned onto the nearest off ramp.</p><p>“Thanks Hen.”</p><p>Buck was out of the truck as soon as the wheels stopped. Going through the motions of stretching out his leg.</p><p>Eddie just watched, still trying to sort through what happened.</p><p>“You going to tell me why we really stopped?” Hen asked Eddie. Eddie filled her in the whole Firefox Instagram mess. Hen rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Oh come on, how is this my fault?” Eddie looked at her.</p><p>“Boy’s pride is damaged enough as is. Now his best friend is telling people to be his friend,” Hen stated.</p><p>“ That’s not-” Eddie started, “He was- I was just trying to help. It isn’t my fault she thought he was creepy.”</p><p>“Did you correct her?” Hen asked. She shook her head when Eddie didn’t answer. “Doesn’t sound very helpful to me.” She looked over and saw Buck staring off in the distance. “Eddie listen, that boy is like a damn puppy. He wants to be friends with everyone. He can be needy, but he just wants people to like him. Does it come off as weird sometimes, yeah. But at the end of the day that overly enthusiastic and intense boy is still our boy. Still the guy that would walk through hell for any one of us. Risk his job and his life, for us. I mean he always has. Never bats an eye if he thinks he can help someone. Why else do you think I’d have put up with stopping and delaying our trip home just so he can get some air.” She sighed as she saw Buck heading back to the truck. “He’s family and that is what family does.” Hen tossed Buck the key as he approached them. “I will probably regret this but why don’t you take the next stretch.”</p><p>“Really?” Buck’s eyes lit up as he hurried to the driver’s seat.</p><p>“I already regret this,” Hen mumbled. “You owe me.”</p><p>“Wait what?” Eddie looked at her.</p><p>“Get a move on!” Buck shouted from the truck. “Losing daylight.”</p><p>Hen laughed and climbed in the passengers seat.</p><p>Eddie grumbled as he climbed in the back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Homestretch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eddie puts his plan into action. The crew in Austin find out more about their new friends.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>again, sorry if it is a bit ooc or has typos. <br/>Unbeta'd.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Buck parked the truck at the rest stop Hen had told him to. It was time to stretch and switch drivers. Buck handed the keys to Eddie, not saying a word, and headed toward the building. Eddie shook his head. Eddie had spent Buck’s entire driving shift trying to figure out what to do. He was starting to come up with a plan on his way back to the truck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they were all back to the truck Hen patted Buck’s shoulder, “You’re navigator on this go, I need a nap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Buck or Eddie could argue the door was closing behind her. Buck shook his head but did what he knew he needed to do. He climbed in the cab and started making sure he had the route pulled up and everything he needed. Eddie got behind the wheel, made sure to do everything he was supposed to, and got the truck started,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good to go?” He looked over at Buck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Buck answered his tone short, without looking away from the mapped route.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Eddie said. When he realized Buck was doing everything to avoid looking at Eddie. Eddie saw an opportunity and managed to snap a quick picture. He put his phone away and set to get them back on the road home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Most of the drive back to LA had been painfully quiet and filled with tension. Buck only spoke to Eddie when he needed to. Hen slept, or at least pretended to, most of the time she wasn’t behind the wheel. They stopped one last time a few hours outside LA. Eddie took out his phone, now that he wasn’t behind the wheel, and posted the picture he had taken. The picture of Buck focused on his tasks as navigator and added the comment “Leading into the home stretch thanks to my trusty navigator.” He tagged Buck and put his phone away.  When they climbed back into the truck. Eddie heard Buck’s phone go off, and watched out of the corner of his eye as Buck opened instagram. Eddie didn’t miss the small smile on Buck’s face before the younger man schooled his features and acted like nothing happened. Eddie would happily take that small victory.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They pulled the truck up outside the station and were met with a bunch of noise and a banner. They hopped out as soon as they safely could. Eddie smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad!” Christopher called out to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, bud,” Eddie said as he pulled his son into his arms. Eddie felt himself relax some now that they were home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie managed to snap a few pictures during the welcome back party. It wasn’t as crazy as their usual welcome back shindigs, since the three of them had spent a great deal of time with a bunch of strangers in another state, but they did their best to enjoy the celebration. He took his phone and posted a handful of new pictures to instagram, thankful that one of his new Texan pals had shown him he could post a bunch at once. He picked a selfie he took with Christopher, a picture of the welcome back banner, one of Hen and her family, and one last picture of Buck and Christopher. They were captioned “Always a warm welcome with the 118 family”. But there was one picture that had to be posted on its own. It was a picture of a frowning a Bobby, laughing Christopher, and an amused Buck. The caption read, “Apparently Driving Dogs are less amusing when you're the Captain. But the boys still find it funny.” Eddie tagged everyone he needed to and went back to enjoying being home.    </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The 126 crew had spent most of the day recovering now that they would all have some downtime. They slept but decided to meet up at the bar to try and get back to some sort of normal. Marjan took a second to check her phone and grinned. She was sitting at a table with most of the team and a few plus ones. The Strands, Grace, Judd, Mateo, Paul, and Carlos were there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess the 118 survived the trip back,” Marjan said as she held her phone out to show her teammates the photos Eddie posted of the party. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good to hear,” Owen nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>TK took out his own phone and checked his feed. Sure enough, Buck had posted Pictures as well. TK actually had a DM from him. He laughed when he saw the post that Buck had sent him. It was Eddie’s post about the dog. Buck had added. Cap says thanks for saving my ass, but he is less than amused about the whole thing. But Christopher thinks it’s hilarious, you know since I didn’t die. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?” Carlos asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I told you about that dog that nearly ran over a guy from LA in the fires,” TK told him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, how is that funny?” Carlos looked at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t, I mean he almost died, but what is funny is the guy, Buck. Well he said his captain is basically his dad, and I guess the captain wasn’t very pleased with the whole thing, but his best friend’s kid thinks it hilarious. But come on man, just look at these faces.” TK holds the phone so his boyfriend could get a better look. Carlos shrugged. “Well, I mean, a dog driving would be much funnier if you leave out the fiery death part. Guys, come on back me up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, I guess,” Marjan said. “What was funny was TK’s face trying to figure out what the hell just happened.” She grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You save a guy from a dog in a car and not be confused,” TK stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, that’s all it was,” Marjan smirked. “Not the fact you had gone and tackled a young, muscular, blue-eyed hunk that thanked you with a thousand-watt smile.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, that’s not fair. I just hadn’t expected the dude to flirt. And to my defense,” TK turned to look at Carlos, “Next time he tried I made it very clear I was in a relationship and not interested.” He turned back to Marjan. “And you’re the one that thinks that ‘young, muscular, blue-eyed hunk’ is a creep and won’t follow him on instagram.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mateo butted in, “Hey guys!” They looked over at him. “You guys ever, you know, google them?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you?” Owen asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I remembered that Eddie said he was military. Turns out,” Mateo showed him his phone. “He’s like some crazy war hero. Like he’s got a silver star from saving a bunch of guys in a helicopter crash and like surviving getting shot or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, what?” Marjan grabbed his phone. “Damn, Hollywood buried the lead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah but there’s more,” Mateo took his phone back. “You know that bombing in LA that was targeting first responders and ended tossing a firetruck in the air and pinned a firefighter under it. Yeah, that was Buckley. Your, what’d you call him Marjan, your young, muscular, blue-eyed hunk, survived a bombing that totally pinned him to the pavement under a 20-ton truck. I’m shocked he still has leg, let alone still works on that truck.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn, and a dog in a car nearly crushed him again,” TK frowned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And Eddie had to handle another helicopter crash,” Marjan stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And neither of them said anything?” Owen asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not a word,” TK answered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh,” Owen shook his head. Now he felt really bad about what happened in the fires. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They all sat quietly for a moment thinking about what they had just learned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At least they have each other,” Judd stated. “They have an...interesting relationship to say the least.” Everyone stared at him. “What? Oh come one, look at those party pictures again, you tell me they’re just teammates, just friends.” Judd shook his head. “You really think either of these two,” he gestured to Paul and Mateo, “Would practically beg someone to follow you on social media?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or help make a skateboard for someone’s son, or spend hours playing video games with the kid,” Marjan said as she went back to flipping through Buck’s pictures. She thought back to her interactions with Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, they’re way too flirty to be together, right?” TK asked. Judd shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Paul chuckled. “Honestly, they’re probably a couple and everyone knows it but them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>TK thought back to how Buck would talk about his team and his friend. “Huh, you’re probably right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think they’ll figure it out anytime soon?” Marjan asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Knowing Buck,” TK said, “Probably not.” He laughed. “Deer in the headlights seems to be his base state.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, good luck to them, I guess,” Carlos said. “Seems like they might need it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marjan nodded as she scrolled back to the top of Buck’s instagram and hit the follow button. “Mostly harmless,” she grinned to herself as she did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck’s phone buzzed as he was putting away some of his clothes at his apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” Buck shouted to the empty apartment before sending a quick text message to Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Buck: She followed me back! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie had settled in on the couch watching cartoons with Christopher when his phone went off. He grinned and sent a reply text.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie: So am I off the hook now?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie laughed at the reply he got.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Buck: Fine, but only because she did.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie: Lucky me then.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Buck: Very </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie switched over to send a message to Marjan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>LA Soldier Boy: Thanks Firefox. Owe you one.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marjan shook her head and smiled at her phone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: Nah, just heads up on one thing, Soldier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>LA Soldier Boy: What</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: Tell your boyfriend to stare less, he’ll make friends faster.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>LA Soldier Boy: He’s not my boyfriend.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: Sure, Hollywood.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: Tell that to your guys’ instas. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marjan sent screencaps of both their instagram profiles, every picture of the two of them or his son and Buck highlighted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: You have a silver star, soldier, grow up and tell your crush you like him this isn’t high school</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marjan wondered if she may have crossed a line when she didn’t get a reply back. She just watched those three little dots that meant something was coming. She laughed when she finally got a reply. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>LA Soldier Boy: If you’re wrong then I’ll drive to Texas and kick your ass</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: I’m not wrong, the whole team agrees.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>LA Soldier Boy: I think I hate you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Firefox: Yeah well your boy doesn’t</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marjan grinned as she set her phone back down. She watched as her teammate went back to normal topics of recent calls and future plans. She just hoped their future plans would mean crossing paths with their new friends again. That would be bound to be another crazy adventure. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading!<br/>Hope you enjoyed it.<br/>I own nothing.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Read or send prompts to @sortofanobsession on tumblr.<br/></p></blockquote></div></div>
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